Giva
by treblegnome
Summary: What happens when Ziva runs into trouble on a case that brings her to LA?


Ziva David spit out a mouthful of blood and picked herself up off the ground for the third time. She had to keep walking. She had no idea where she was anymore but she did know that the murderer was still looking for her. The serial killer they had been tracking had done exactly what Gibbs expected he would do. He had attempted to take the undercover Ziva as his next victim. The unexpected part was that the killer had escaped with Ziva on a plane, causing the DC team to lose her location entirely. After the plane landed, Ziva fought her way out and ran. It was dark out and she was still unsure where she was.

There was a sign ahead on the road revealing that Ziva was just outside of Los Angelos. This was good news. There was another NCIS headquarters in LA. All she had to do was reach them before he found her.

Ziva stumbled into the boathouse just after dawn. There was no sign of any other agents so early in the morning. She collapsed onto the sofa and passed out from both fatigue and blood loss.

"Ms David," A voice woke her up. It was Hetty Lang. "Ms David, are you alright? What are you doing here?"

Hetty was standing over her along with a woman and man that she didn't recognize. Ziva forced herself to sit up. Pain shot through her ribs and right leg, she groaned with pain.

"Do you need an ambulance Ms David?" Hetty asked.

"No." Ziva managed. "I need to contact Gibbs."

"Of course." Hetty passed her a cell phone.

Ziva dialed Gibbs. "It's me... Yes, I'm okay. I escaped him and am at NCIS in Los Angelos...The last I saw him was at a small airport north of the city...I will... bye..." Ziva handed the phone back to Hetty.

"Now, you will at least let us tend to your injuries." Hetty said, it wasn't a question.

Ziva nodded. She had a stab wound in her leg, a broken tooth, bruised face, and several fractured ribs. Kensi and Deeks brought out the first aid kit while Hetty left to make her own call to Gibbs.

A short time later Hetty returned followed by another agent who was a stranger to her. "I have just spoken to Gibbs. He has updated me on your current case and is sending all the information to this office. He would like for you to continue your search from this office with the help of a temporary partner that we will assign."

"I see." Ziva said, she didn't like the idea of a new partner.

"Gibbs said that you wouldn't like the idea of a partner from this office, which is why he requested that we assign a friend of his, Agent Callen." Hetty indicated the man next to her.

"Nice to meet you." Ziva shook his hand. She hoped that any friend of Gibbs could be trusted but lately she didn't know who to trust.

Four hours later Ziva and Callen were setting up equipment for a stakeout. Their suspect had been seen at a hotel in the city. The agents rented a room in another hotel across the street with a view into his room's window.

"How long have you been with NCIS?" Callen asked her.

"Three years as an agent. I was a liaison from Mossad before that."

"Mossad? It's hard to imagine Gibbs trusting a former Mossad officer. There must be a story behind that." Callen said.

"There is." Ziva admitted but she didn't elaborate. "How long have you been with NCIS?"

"Eight years. I was navy before that."

The two were silent for a little while, watching the window. "What does the G stand for?" Ziva finally asked him.

"I don't know. I was a foster kid growing up, my paperwork said G. Callen, no one ever told me what it stood for."

"I am sorry." Ziva said.

Callen shrugged. "Don't be. I've gotten used to it."

"Even so, there are some things that we never become used to."

"Sounds like you speak from experience." Callen said.

Ziva nodded. "My father, Eli David, was director of Mossad. From the time we were children he taught my sisters and brothers and I how to fight, shoot, kill, and survive anything that our enemies might bring to us. Those skills have served me well, but they have also taught me to live in fear, not just be cautious... I'm not so sure that was a good thing to become used to."

As the hours passed the two talked about a lot of things. They spoke of their childhood, of their work, of some of their similar interests, of friends they had in common, and eventually of loneliness and how difficult it can be to trust people. For four days they stayed on stakeout, sometimes sleeping in shifts, sometimes staying away together. Still having injuries to deal with, Ziva found it was often hard to move, especially on first waking up. The morning of the fifth day she nearly fell over trying to get out of bed. Callen caught her before she hit the floor. For a moment, he didn't let go, just held on to her where they stood. Ziva was surprised at how good it felt to be so close to him. He was just as astonished at himself for his attraction to her.

"Um...I'm okay now." Ziva said after a moment of eye contact.

"I know." He said not letting go. It wasn't clear after that who kissed who. They both wanted the kiss. Arms around each other, the kiss was slow and gentle at first and eventually growing more passionate. Her rib injury brought her back to reality. She pulled away, gasping in pain.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." Callen said.

Ziva smiled. "I'll heal."

Hetty called Callen later that day to tell them that the suspect had been arrested in another location.

"Hetty says you're free to go home." Callen told her after relaying the rest of the message.

"I see." Ziva was disappointed.

"If you have some time, you could stick around and have dinner with me." He offered.

"I'd like that."

He took her to a nice place but not too nice. She ordered one of the few kosher selections.

"After you go home..." Callen began unsure of how to say what he wanted to say, "could we keep in contact?"

"Perhaps. But only if when you go undercover you will tell me to expect not to hear from you and not just vanish without ever telling me."

"Of course. I can do that."

Three months later Callen heard a knock at his door late one evening. He opened it to find Ziva standing on his steps, she had obviously been crying.

"Ziva?" Callen hadn't been expecting her or even known she was in the city.

"Schmiel is dead." She said, she was shaking.

Callen knew Schmiel was a close friend of hers and he also knew that one more death of a loved one was going to be very difficult for her to handle. He reached for her and hugged her tightly. She sobbed in his arms for a long while before she was able to compose herself.

"Come inside?" He asked when she was calm.

She nodded, following him in. Ziva had never been to his house before. She had the address but had never visited. The house was barely furnished, half empty, and slightly cluttered.

"I might have cleaned up a little if I had known you were coming." Callen commented on seeing her expression.

"No, it's fine."

"How long can you stay?"

"I took my vacation time, so as long as three weeks, but I can get a hotel in the city if I'm in the way." She told him.

"Ziva, you're not in the way. I'm glad to have you here." He touched her face. "I want you here."

"Good, because I don't know how I'd handle being alone right now."


End file.
